Development of an art program on a bone marrow transplant unit

Abstract

This article describes a project created as part of the Arts in Medicine program at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. The overall mission is to identify and develop connections between the creative arts and the healing arts that will improve the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health of our community. The immediate aim of this project is to facilitate the development of similar programs on other clinical units and in other hospitals. The key component is the inclusion of professional artists as artists in residence in an intensive care unit setting. Their primary function is to conduct creative arts workshops and to work one on one to facilitate the use of art as a therapeutic intervention with patients, families, and health caregivers. This pilot program is being conducted on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and is exploring the links between nurses, physicians, artists, patients, and families in the creative process. The nurse's role has proved to be that of facilitator and advocate, directly incorporating the artist's interactive process into the daily activities of patients and families. The artists have designed and implemented each creative project and acted as consultants in how to incorporate it. The basic assumption is that every individual is a natural artist. We believe that creating opportunities for everyone to explore the possibilities of artistic expression without judgment or criticism can lead to greater self-awareness and self-esteem and can release our innate creative energy. We hypothesize that this energy can be directed as a potent force into our physical, mental, and spiritual healing.